Harley-Davidson Announces Two Additional 2016 Models

In a year that sees Harley-Davidson list a total of 38 motorcycle models, the Motor Company has decided to add two more muscular choices to the list. The 2016 Low Rider S enters the fray as the the most powerful non-CVO Dyna cruiser ever offered by Harley-Davidson. Similarly, the exclusive CVO line gets a new stylishly aggressive (or is that aggressively stylish) member in the form of the 2016 CVO Pro Street Breakout, delivering drag-bike performance to discriminating Harley customers.

Low Rider S

Mixing blacked-out styling with in-your-face V-Twin performance, the Low Rider S joins the Fat Boy S and Softail Slim S models. The heart and soul of these bikes is the Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110 engine which is the largest-displacement factory-installed engine Harley-Davidson produces. Feeding those air-cooled cylinders are a Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather performance intake and Fat Bob-style 2-into-2 exhaust. Sound beefy? How does 115 lb-ft. of peak torque at 3500 rpm strike you? To tame the 13% torque increase over the standard Low Rider, a heavy-duty clutch delivers the power to the Cruise Drive 6-speed transmission. Just because the engine has more grunt doesn’t mean it can’t be civilized, too. So, cruise control is a standard feature.

The Low Rider S delivers creature comforts and handling via Premium Ride nitrogen gas-charged emulsion shocks and a Premium Ride cartridge fork. Dual floating front discs and a solo rear get the ABS treatment for optimal speed attenuation. The flat drag bar features 5.5-in. risers positioning the rider’s paws in an aggressive forward stance while the mid-mount controls put the pegs in a comfortable position. The 26.6 in. solo seat features a shape to help the rider combat the accelerative forces.

Stylistically, the Low Rider S looks to the performance machinery of the 1960s and 1970s. From the gold tank badge that harkens the 1977 XLCR Café Racer model to the Magnum Gold lightweight cast-aluminum wheels that are reminiscent of the gold-tone magnesium wheels on ’60s race machines, this S makes a strong statement. The multiple black color treatments (glossy on the bodywork, semi-gloss on the exhaust, crinkle on the engine) define a subtle color palette to increase the Low Rider S’ menace, while a bikini fairing gives a sporting profile.

The retro-styled wheels on the 2016 Harley-Davidson Low Rider S add to the sporting profile.

Still, according to Harley-Davidson Senior Stylist Dais Nagao, it’s not all for appearance: “When you ride fast in this upright position, you need a little wind protection. Then the way we inset the headlamp deeper into the speed screen gives the Low Rider S an aggressive face. It’s a powerful way to communicate the personality of the motorcycle.”

The Low Rider S MSRP is $ 16,699.

CVO Pro Street Breakout

From the nothing-exceeds-like-excess department, the CVO Pro Street Breakout continues the CVO tradition of mounting a hotted-up engine and then outfitting the beast with top-of-the-line accessories highlighting an exclusive paint scheme. The CVO Pro Street Breakout features a Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110B for the most power available from a Harley-Davidson production air-cooled engine. Additionally, since Harley often debuts new custom features and manufacturing techniques on the CVO models prior to allowing them to trickle down to other machinery, the CVO Pro Street Breakout displays some new finish treatments.

“The Pro Street Breakout represents a new dimension of CVO motorcycles,” said Harley-Davidson Styling Director Brad Richards. “The Pro Street Breakout takes its cues from the streets and reflects our own changing tastes. It still delivers the depth of detail and value and the bragging rights the CVO customer expects, but gets there in a different way. Its colors may be subdued but also have incredible depth. We’re developing alternate finishes to bright chrome – brushed and anodized surfaces and tinted clear-coat, for example. The Breakout really lent itself to this new styling direction.”

The 2016 Harley-Davidson CVO Pro Street Breakout features a variety of metal finishes.

The Pro Street Breakout uses Smoke Satin Chrome as a prime example:

“We worked intensely with our plating suppliers to develop the hue and depth of Smoke Satin Chrome, and we are the first to use it in the motorcycle industry,” said Nagao. “It’s a finish that looks really contemporary and exclusive but also kind of sinister. We’ve carefully placed Smoke Satin Chrome next to a black surface so it creates a layered effect. For example, the top rocker cover is gloss black, and the lower cover is Smoke Satin Chrome. It’s on the exhaust header shields next to the black engine and black mufflers. We used Smoke Satin Chrome on the oil lines and fittings to add an unexpected detail.”

The Aggressor custom wheels feature an additional new finish called Scorched Chrome. The drag-racer-inspired styling gives the impression that the chrome isn’t the only thing that the CVO Pro Street Breakout will scorch. The details are all there: 1.25-inch drag-style handlebar, the slippery speed screen, and the color-matched chin spoiler. The bucket seat with the sizable bolstered pillion assist the rider in staying in the cockpit once the trigger is pulled.

Despite the exclusive good looks, CVOs have always been about the ultimate in factory performance. The CVO Pro Street Breakout uses black blunt-cut mufflers and an open-element Screamin’ Eagle Heavy Breather Elite to flow the maximum atmosphere possible through the Screamin’ Eagle Twin Cam 110B. Add in the hydraulically actuated Assist & Slip clutch for controlling the power delivery, and you’ve got the prescription for an arm-straightening ride.